The protestors emphasised that there are no legal impediments in the European Union including France with regard to the burial of Muslims who succumb to COVID-19 but the Sri Lankan government had insisted on cremation as the only method for the disposal of bodies. They implored the government to respect the beliefs of their fellow citizens and allow the victims to be buried.
The UN expressed concern over the Sri Lankan government’s COVID-19 victim burial policy and expressed hope that the country “will revisit its policy”. The UN Resident Coordinator in Colombo, Hanaa Singer, in a letter to Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa on November 12, reiterated concerns with the existing Sri Lankan Ministry of Health guidelines, which stipulated cremation as the only method for the disposal of bodies. She further noted that across the world, COVID-19 patients who succumbed to the deadly disease were given dignified and safe disposal as per their choice.
